Remember Back Then
by 91salrobluvingstories
Summary: War,Love and the 1940s. Eastenders with a time twist- Will a bomb blast destroy the residents lives.
1. Air Raid

Ok so let me explain what this is about. It is Eastenders set in 1940, WWII is still on going and the queen Vic is now a speak easy ( a secret place where people could drink because in some part alcohol was banned) Jack is serving in the military and he and his troops have stopped off at Walford. He meets the girl of his dreams ( you can guess who that is) but will the war, the times they live in and family issues tear them apart.

The sirens sounded it was another bomb raid; every one ran for their bunkers. The planes could be heard from over head the vibrations shook the windows in everybody's homes. It was like the planes were right on their front door not over head.

The residents of the Queen Victoria how ever didn't have a bunker they had to make do with hiding under the stair case.

It was a tight squeeze for the six residents of the Vic.

"Do you have to sit on top of me?" Roxy squealed

"No I don't you can just get out and wave the bombs down." Phil replied

"Will you to just give it a rest why can't you be quite like your brother?" Peggy snapped back. Phil turned to grant and mouthed mommy's boy

"Haven't I got enough to worry about with your dad being at gone at war and me being pregnant?"

"All I do is work and worry." Peggy rambled on trying to guilt trip them all into feeling sorry for her.

"I'm sorry" Phil replied .

"Me to" Roxy said.

Roxy tried to change the subject.

"So I hear there is meant to be some dashing soldiers stopping off round her soon." Roxy said turning to her sister, trying to make convocation; to distract everybody from what was going on out side.

It was scary thinking about what could be left next time they opened there window the war had been going on for a year with no sign of stopping.

"Yeah I heard that too, maybe I can find a nice man to take my hand." Ronnie answered

"No one will want you veronica, not after what happened so don't get your hopes up." Archie bit back

It all went silent no one knew what to do or say.

Suddenly the deafening ringing had stopped, the bomb raid was over.

"That was quick." Peggy said surprised

"Hope we bombed those Germans to hell" Archie said adding even more tension into the room.

Suddenly there was aloud bang which made them all jump, they feared it could be a bomb.

The banging continued grant realised it was coming from outside, someone was banging on the door.

"Quick hide the booze girls, Phil you help them." Peggy ordered

The banging continued getting even louder "help, please help." Came from the out side of the door.

"Step back Peg, I will see who it is, and you lot hide round the other side of the bar it could be a trick." Archie said very heroically.

But terror was plastered all over his face who was it at the door; it could be a shooter come to kill them all.

Times had changed since the war had started.


	2. The blast

Continued

**Continued**

Archie's hand reached for the door, it was shaking uncontrollably, as soon as he opens that door his life could end. No I'm just being silly, he told him self.

He reached out and grabbed the copper door handle grabbing it so hard his knuckles had turned white.

With one almighty pull the door swung open.

A cloud of black fog covered Archie's view, he couldn't see much, all he could hear was people screaming. A bomb must of hit.

"What's going on?" Roxy shouted.

"Nothing just stay down." Archie snapped back. Scared for the safety of his family.

Suddenly out of the black mist, a figure appeared.

The figure or man I should say was a tall handsome gentleman wearing a dark green army uniform; which was covered in badges he must be a high ranking officer Archie thought.

He oozed confidence; nothing seemed to faze him even what was going on around him.

Even Archie was mesmerised by this mystery figure.

"Sir we need your help." The figure stated with the sound of authority creeping out from his voice.

"Sure anything for our troops." Archie replied.

"We need to use this dwelling as a safe house for all the residents that are injured, the blast from a near by bomb has brought down an outhouse over the road, and a wall on another house." The man said.

"Yes, sure whatever I can do to help, I'll have the girls get some blankets and some water, and do you want me and the boys to lend a hand."

"That would be much appreciated sir, but make sure the women stay inside, we can't risk any more casualties." The man instructed.

As soon as he had finished he strode off back to the other troops who were helping move the rumble.

"Peggy you and the girls get some water and blankets, Phil and Grant you two come with me." Archie shouted, because not much could be heard over the screaming and shouting outside.

With that Phil and Grant jumped over the side of the bar eager to play the hero with Archie.

"Come on girls we better get those blankets." Peggy said heading upstairs.

"Did you see him Ron, that Solider, I didn't think they were meant to be coming so soon, I would have dolled myself up if I knew." Roxy smiled biting her lip.

"Do you not have any morals…. but I do see what you mean." Ronnie giggled, as they headed up the stairs after Peggy.

Out side the Square was unrecognizable; under all the soot and fog.

You could barely see in front of your nose. The Beale's outhouse had clasped and half of the Slaters wall had fallen down.

People were walking around covered in coal, dazed and confused, it was distressing to watch.

"Look there he is boys." Archie had spotted the man.

Archie and the boys walked up to him, he was directing his troops while pulling up bits of rumble that was scattered everywhere.

Archie didn't want to interrupt so he just waited till the man had finished ordering the other's about.

" Ahh more hands, I'm Colonel Jack Branning first in command, and I really appreciate this help, if you could follow Private Willison he will show you what to do, you are doing your queen and country proud, by helping us out."

This made Archie, Phil and Grant feel very proud of themselves, helping the army was a great honor.

But before they could dwell on this feeling the air raid sirens sounded again, everyone tried to run for cover but there wasn't enough time.

BOOOM a bomb hit the square.

WHO WILL SURVIVE THE BOMB BLAST??


	3. Whats Left After The Blast

Continued

**Continued**

The bomb had shaken the square, like a snow dome in a Childs hand.

All that noise now silence it was eerie.

Nothing, no one moving or making a sound.

The aftermath of a bomb was the most devastating thing that a community could go through.

Everyone was family; times were harder now especially with the war still ongoing, everything was rationed from clothes to milk.

Everyone depended on each other to get them through these times.

Who was the war harder on the children who had to grow up in a time of uncertainty and terror, or the wives of the soldiers at war, not knowing if there lovers would ever come home.

Knowing that the last time they kissed them goodbye could be for ever.

Smoke from blast covered the square it was like a dirty fog, thick, the air smelt like oil and burning wood from where some of the houses had caught fire.

Houses now resembled ruins, furniture scattered everywhere, children's toys flung all over the street, it was like a scene from a third world country.

Everything was dirty and dishevelled.

It was a massacre.

Coronal Jack Branning was the first to regain conscious, after being knocked out by some shrapnel from the blast.

He pulled him self up, and looked around, disorientated; he couldn't see much he let out a cough some of the smog had gotten into his lungs.

Jack squinted his eyes, trying to see if there were any survivors.

Suddenly a rush of sound hit him, people were screaming, victims trapped beneath the rumble.

People were getting up from underneath the remains stumbling around like zombies, blood pouring from there heads.

Jack rushed up to them, asking them if they were all right and sitting them down.

He didn't really have time to survey the damage; he just knew the pub had taken the brunt of the blast.

But there wasn't anyone left in the pub or so he though.

Jack's next port of call was to help any of the survivors and make sure his men where ok.

As jack started to pull some bricks up from the ground, of what used to be the side of the Beale's house he heard someone calling.

"Coronal" Jack stopped it was seven of his men, one of the men was carrying an older lady in his arms.

"You know I can walk what would my husband make of this" Dot screeched.

"Sorry mam, I just wanted to make sure you were ok." The man said.

"Boys, I am glad to see you." Jack straightened his back to salute them.

"Thank you sir we managed to dive in this lady's bunker just in time." One of the soldiers replied as they all saluted Jack back.

Jack then went into hero mode

"Ok men, civilians are our priority, let's just pray that the other four of our men ok." Jack said bowing his head to the ground.

After this brief moment of remorse Jack sprung into action.

"Ok survivors put them over there by those gardens, Smithy you our medic, check these people over, as we bring them to you, the rest of you take a corner and start lifting, don't stop until everybody it accounted for dead or alive." Jack ordered.

With their Coronal's words ringing in their ear's the solders' set to work.

Jack carried on working where he was standing, as he was pulling the bricks up he came across a mans hand.

It must have been that man from the pub who was helping him earlier.

Jack pulled at the rumble as fast as he could trying to unearth more of this mans body.

When he did finally uncover the mans body he was covered in soot, he was as white as a ghost from all the brick dust.

The man started to move.

"Medic" Jack shouted.

Smithy ran over to this man Jack had found.

"Can you tell me your name sir?" Smithy asked checking him for Brain damage or concussion.

"Archie Mitchell" he wheezed.

"Look at them first." Archie pointed to the side of him.

Where Phil and Grant were lying, protected by Archie who had thrown his body over them to protect them.

Jack gave Archie a hand up from the pit of bricks that surrounded him.

While Smithy moved in to check on Phil and Grant.

"Their ok, you probably saved their lives." Smithy shouted with relief said.

Archie couldn't see much his vision was blurred dust and dirt was caught in his eyes.

"So have you found my girls?" Archie asked as he profusely rumbled his eyes.

"Girls sir, we thought it was just you and the lad's." Jack answered.

"NO, my girls and the lad's mom, they were inside the pub." Archie snapped annoyed that his eyes were still irritating him and that he didn't know where his children were.

"The pub" Jack said stunned

He turned around and looked at the building that was the pub but not much was left.

There was no way anyone could have survived a blast like that he thought.

WILL THERE BE SURVIVORS IN THE PUB: RONNIE, ROXY AND PEGGY.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM??


	4. Trapped

Continued

**Continued **

Jack couldn't believe that there were people trapped under that, and if so there wasn't much chance of them being found alive.

The destruction to the pub was vast, there was twisted metal, rocks and bricks, piling over any bodies under it, and he didn't even have enough man power to even start looking.

Jack turned around to have a look at the rest of the square, there he saw his men pulling out casualty after casualty.

It was a true war zone.

And the road ahead was closed due to the air raids so their was no way he could get a doctor or supplies in.

The place was over run with victims.

He had to think about what was best for his solders and the other civilians.

He couldn't risk putting lives in danger looking in hope for bodies in that pub.

Archie finally regained some sight in his eyes even though what he could see was very blurred.

"So where are my girls, have you found them yet, because that's the only reason why you would be standing around, because you have found them?" Archie stated looking at jack.

"It's to dangerous sir, the Vic took most of the blast, and I don't think anyone could have survived, I can't risk the lives of others on a whim." Jack said.

It broke his heart to say this to Archie; but he had to think of his troops.

Archie couldn't stand by and just presume his children and sister in law were dead he had to do something.

He barged past Jack nearly knocking him over, and started scrambling through the rubble.

Jack couldn't watch any longer, Archie had hope, so why shouldn't he, stranger things have happened.

He had to help.

And if Archie kept going on the way he was with those bricks, he could cause the whole building to collapse.

"Stop let me." Jack exclaimed grabbing Archie's shoulder.

"No I can't, my Family is in there." Archie didn't even turn around he just carried on digging.

"No you must stop now..." Jack bellowed "if you carry on anymore the building could collapse and if they are alive you most definitely will kill them.

Archie stopped in his tracks all he cared about was seeing his family again.

Jack reached down and helped him up from the floor yet again.

"Please let me and my boys help, I promise I will do all that I can, now go and sit with the others and your lad's." Jack instructed.

He saw that Phil and Grant looked terrified, would they ever see their mom or cousins again.

Archie walked over to them and reassured them that it was all going to be ok.

Once Jack was satisfied that Archie was out of harms way he let out an enormous wolf whistle.

All of his troops stopped what they were doing and walked over to Jack.

They came to a Holt and saluted him. He did the same back.

"At ease soldiers, give me a round up on where we are in this rescue mission, also have we recovered anymore of our own." He said with hope.

"Well Coronal, we have only three civilians missing, a MR Beale, MR Miller and a Mrs Slater, but we think they are all trapped under the same confines, we have found three of ours they are doing well Sir, but Johnson is still DOA though."

Jack felt overjoyed but sadden at the same time losing even one of his men was like losing a brother.

But Jack had to shake it off; he had other lives to think of.

"Smithy how are the casualty's doing."

"It's just superficial cuts and bruises, looks a lot worse than it is, most are just very shook up though." Smithy replied

"On an upsetting note, news has been brought to me that a gentleman's family is trapped under the pub, three woman to be exact, a mother and a man's children."

Jack looked at this troop as he said this, this upsetting news was a blow to all the work they had done.

One of the Soldiers decided to speak up about this decision.

"Permission to speak freely sir." Willison asked

"Go ahead Willison".

"Personally sir I think it's a suicide mission, that building could collapse at any time, and we don't know if there are any survivors anyway, we should just concentrate on the people that we no are alive." Willison stated.

Jack didn't mind his men speaking up he admired their view, but he felt strongly about helping Archie.

"Willison there is a mans family in there, if that was your mother, or child or sister wouldn't you want use to try." Jack said calmly.

Jacks words had an effect on Willison, he wasn't a Coronal for nothing.

"Yes, sir, do what ever it takes." Willison answered.

Fired up by Jacks words

"Ok then if we are all in agreement, three of you go over there and look for the rest of the civilians, that leaves me with four of you." Jack pointed at where he wanted his men to go.

"Come on men lets set to work."

"Come and help me to move these bricks, we need to get to them as soon as we can if they are still alive that is." Jack ordered his men.

"They will be ruining out of oxygen soon". Jack whispered to him self.

Knowing that if there were people alive, they would only have a maximum of 5 hours to survive under those conditions.

And four hours had all ready gone

IS TIME RUNNING OUT, ARE THEY ALIVE ANYWAY, WILL THE QUEEN VIC COLLAPSE.??

SOMEONE WILL DIE!! BUT WHO??


End file.
